(Football) The Rules of Illusion

Liam was a soon-to-be king of football, just one step away from the top, and widely recognized as the best striker in the world.

During the World Cup final, his heart condition suddenly returned, and he fell forever on the pitch he loved.

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer Liam, the famous and wealthy football star. He had found himself in the body of a Real Madrid prodigy on the verge of leaving the club.

Altair had once been a darling of fate, too. He rose to fame at a young age, and his extraordinary talent broke the transfer record for a young player when he was just fifteen. Real Madrid brought him to the Bernabeu for a huge fee and pinned their hopes on him. Everyone thought he would unquestionably be the greatest player after Messi and Ronaldo.

But one blow after another wore down his ambition. By the time Liam arrived in his body, he was no longer the dazzling Golden Boy of Real Madrid. He escaped life's hardships through alcohol and lost his way among the star-studded first team. Once full of confidence and vigor, he had become just another fallen star in everyone's eyes.

Leaving Real Madrid was still inevitable, but in England he found the best coach, joined the best team, and gained the best ending.

The protagonist has dual German and Portuguese citizenship, plays for Portugal internationally, and moves from Real Madrid to Arsenal at club level.

The male lead is a 188 cm black-haired, green-eyed puppy-like guy with a naturally melancholy air. Cold on the outside, even colder within. His love interest is the captain of his national team.

The protagonist may have romantic storylines apart from his main pairing, but they have little focus and no sexual relationship occurs, so they won't affect the overall reading experience.

Theme: Don't let the difficulties in front of you hold you back